Hi all! It’s been months since I’ve posted or even browsed on here, i see a lot of new names so thats great! I havent even updated my blog in a while 
Although I have not given up my journey to medical school, I’ve seemed to have taken a detour. I’m not sure if my question has been covered recently so I apologize if there is any repetition:
I’m all but two or three classes away from finish my pre-reqs…(which has been worked on for a span of 6 years or so…) I moved to DC three months ago and have been training to be an EMT at the local community college.
My question is this: What do med schools (caribean or US, MD or DO alike) think about CC courses? I’m thinking about staying at the school and working on some courses there (for cost and proximity reasons). Is there a general rule for CC courses? Does it differ from med school to med school? Will it make me look “less competitive” for having taken them there? Of courses theres Georgetown and GW, but realistically, I DOUBT i’d get accepted even as a non matriculant. What do you all think?
Thanks in advance!!
Putnam, this question is frequently brought up and a quick search should bring up lots of discussion. Some medical schools don’t accept CC course, although most do. What you really have to think about is the competitiveness factor. If it’s you and your CC classes vs someone else with a degree or pre-reqs from a 4 year institution, everything else being equal, the person from the 4 year is going to be regarded as a stronger candidate.
In other words, it can be done with CC courses, but if you want to make yourself the most competitive candidate possible, you should go to a 4 year institution.
thanks for your input 
Although I should have probably mentioned that I already have a degree from a 4 year institution. I have a BA in English with a minor in biology. I was going to go for a double major with a minor in chem but couldnt seem to get past calculus, physics II, and Organic II (which is all I have left toward my pre-reqs ironically)
I just figured I should redo it all from scratch and was hoping the fact that I have a degree from a 4 yr univ. could help a little more if i decide to go the CC route to focus on my pre-reqs.
Most everyone applying to medical school has a degree from a four year institution. And most of them took their pre-reqs at the same four year institution. Med schools look very closely at the pre-requisites and they will be comparing your pre-req performance to everyone else’s pre-reqs. So, no, having a degree from a 4 year university isn’t going to necessarily boost what med schools think of your CC pre-reqs.
There are people who do get in to medical school with CC pre-reqs. If you choose to go that route, you NEED to get A’s, you should take some upper level science courses at a 4 year institution, and you need to do well on the MCAT.
I’m not sure what your grades were in your original science courses, but if they were less than stellar, I would argue that you really need to take the rest of your pre-reqs and some upper-levels at a 4 year. Even if you get A’s at a CC, if your science grades weren’t so hot earlier, I think adcoms are going to wonder if you just didn’t live up to your full potential earlier, or if the CC courses were just easier.
Hi, Putnam.
I am currently applying after having taken the vast majority of prerequisites at community college. I did take a couple of upper level biochemistry classes and physics II at a four-year. I applied heavily DO with a few local MD schools thrown in. I am in CA where the community colleges have a fairly good reputation. Like you, I have a degree in English. I did well on the MCAT, which probably helps to eliminate some of the doubt about the rigor of my CC classes. Overall, there will be some schools that will not accept CC credits as prerequisites. However, there are many that will, but that means that the other parts of your application have to be that much better. Its a total package sort of thing.
However, this is all speculation. All I can really say is that I took CC prereqs and I’m getting interviews. I am not aiming for some ultra-competitive surgical subspecialty, I just want a solid education from a school where the teachers are interested in teaching and I have a shot at a decent primary care residency. I’ll let you know in a couple months when I have a better idea how all of this plays out.
Good points you guys… I suppose in the grand scheme of things, it doesnt make sense for me to take CC courses after having earned a degree at a 4 year.
My grades at my 4 year were very less than stellar, unfortunately. I had way too much going on around me. So on paper, I’m not the most competitive looking candidate (which is largely why I want to retake ALL of my classes, start anew etc…) Alright, so I think I’m much clearer on what I need to do!
Good luck with the interviews SomedayDrA